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2026 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Richard Shields
Company: Special When Lit
Show: Bury The Leads
Venue: Mixed Blood
How To Be Creative On Your Feet
About halfway through this production I realized how truly talented these two performers are. They put together a different show each time. Fast pace and fast thinking. My fellow audience members loved it. This show is a workshop in creative theater.
Company: Tyler West
Show: Small Minded
Venue: The Southern Theater
A Lot To Process
The show offers a vaudeville like range of talents displayed by on person. Comedy, story telling, physical comedy and audience participation. You also get some history of dwarfism and a sense of the obstacles a professional has to face in the entertainment world. The prime obstacle to success seems to be the limited imagination of others.Humorous but also consciousness raising.
Company: Snikt! Bamf! Thwip!
Show: Casa Bde-Maka-Ska
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Casablanca on ICE
Take Casablanca, add some bitter ICE, next a dash of Prince and somewhat tired but reliable Minnesota stereotypes and you have this show. Not a lot of twists but is was like a fine Minnesota hot dish - comfort food for the tired Fringe goer.
Company: Melancholics Anonymous
Show: Watership Down
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Creative Talent Shines
This is a well known story that if presented poorly can be both preachy and tiresome. This show is neither. It is well paced and display what can be done with minimal props and makeup. The music is appropriate, the physical action well staged and the spoken words convey the story clearly. It represents what a Fringe show can do with well known material without presenting a stale production.
Company: CuerpoxCuerpo
Show: LATIN PAPI
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre
Hot Erotic Latin Male Dance
If any of the words in the title of my post turn you off don't go to this production. My words in the title of this post reflect the content of this show. I was wowed by this show. This two person production was dancing away almost non-stop for the length of the performance. Again, the a queer Latin production that uses dance and motion to convey excitement so if this sounds good to you get down here!
Company: The Winding Sheet Outfit
Show: A Confluence of Magical Arseholes
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
History, Comedy and Music Abound At Golden Dawn
Based on a real society that was the "in" thing to be in for upper class folks who had time on their hands, this show uses real source material to recreate a sense of the organized chaos. The music is fun as is the physical comedy. I loved the staging and would love to see more.
Company: Moral of the Story
Show: A Real Piece of Work
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Perky and Fast Paced
I found this show was very reflective of how most volunteer organizations work. Lots of well intended folks but seldom on the same page. Heck you are lucky to get them in the same library when you are doing creative stuff. The show was funny, realistic and worth the time. If you like dysfunction that is funny this is your show.
Company: The World Crime League
Show: M
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Awesome Homage To The Original
This is one the best shows I have experienced so for at Fringe. The movie that inspired this production was a legendary masterpiece. Given the constraints of a Fringe production they have produced a worthy homage. The use lights and creative shadows that mimic some special effects. Some quick production features were a ball rolling across the stage swiftly and a projected balloon that ascends on the screen upon the child's death. I fast paced script and a solid crew make this worth the time of those who like classic cinema based productions.
Company: rick rhobajt widen
Show: Socks & Shoes & Coats
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Charming Where Hope Meets Anxiety
This is a musical about the joys of welcoming a newborn and the anxiety that follows when you discover your child is threatened by a serious heath is. The music is appropriate but at a times the instruments could be toned down to allow for the vocals to be heard. I was moved. I recommend this but if you have issues around children and illnesses be cautious.
Company: New Product Company
Show: Brakkesyke
Venue: Theatre in the Round
When Reality Is Shared
A nice well paced show offered by a three person cast. Set in a remote, isolated war zone that is cut off from contact the actors find that the cold isn't the only thing numbing. An enemy knocks on the door and surrenders but what has happen? This is a story of the need for human interaction but are those interactions real? I liked this and recommended it.
Company: Michael Shaeffer
Show: Glengarry Glen Elvis
Venue: Theatre in the Round
I Love Elvis!
Wow. I was entertained, amused and surprised. I did not know what to expect. This was like a trip back to the hits of my youth. Playful show with some nice music and even a story.
Company: TROMPE L'OEIL
Show: Foshay! You Know The Tower - Now Hear The Story
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
An Iconic Landmark Charms
If you are a Minnesotan of my era you witnessed the end of the Foshay Tower as being the tallest structure in our state. This show is a musical that tells the story of the man who envisioned the landmark. It is fast paced and the music is good. This production was inspired from an earlier, longer opera. It didn't mention a story I heard about how the top of the building was designed to be a docking station for zeppelins! If you like musical or local history move this toward the top of your list of Fringe shows to see.
Company: an alleged Theatre Company
Show: FAST Death of a Salesman
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
My Fellow Audience Members Were Raptured
I was clearly out of sync with my fellow audience members about this show. They were laughing up in a raucous manner and I received the performers in a much more tepid manner. I.grewvtired of the speeding up the presentation very soon after the show started. My reaction is the minority one
Company: Maxxeapolis
Show: Maxxeapolis Goes to Hell
Venue: Mixed Blood
Hell Can Be Entertaining
This was a very enjoyable show and provided welcomed comedy. Fringe performers end up in hell, their earthly careers ended. They bargain and Satan will release them if he is entertained. The audience and I were indeed amused. This show was a delightful one and I loved my time in hell.
Company: Jake Mierva
Show: I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You.
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Read Show Descriptions With Care
I failed to read the show's description with the detailed care I should have. I would have preferred a fantasy journey into comic books but got a study on mental health. It was well done and the crowd received it well.
Company: SUPERMOON
Show: the statue of liberty is nora in a doll's house by henrik ibsen
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Most Thought Provoking Show
This has been the show I thought about most so far (my 8th) at this year's Fringe. I found "deep" meanings behind a number of things: the title, having Nora on a platform, the de-construction and re-construction of the mannequin, entering the house without being invited and the contrast between doll size and the larger than life images on the screen. I likey over thought this way too much! I also was bothered that I was out of sync with the audiences response to what was on stage - I wasn't laughing when they did. Most fringe shows clearly have you going towards a set, specific response to what they are presenting but this show doesn't do that. For that reason you should go and see what you make of it!
Company: David Alan Berger
Show: A Woman's Place is in the House
Venue: Rarig Kilburn Theatre
A Rally For Hope
This production felt for much of its run time a Rally for Political Hope. The last portion of the show not only offered reflections from the four primary cast members but short presentations by several of today's sitting legislators. The audience was given large signs like those rallies feature. The performance opened with the four first female members of the Minnesota House preparing for their initial session when they are offered a chance to travel to Minnesota's future to inspire the modern public. Of course they agree. The production does an excellent job in presenting the modern climate and having the four women try to
Company: Local 574
Show: HELL ON WHEELS: The Winter Strike of 1934
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Substantial Show, Required for Leftists
This is a show I deem as a must see! If you what to learn labor history and understand worker's rights start at this show. The battle for fair wages shown realistically. We live in a time were a wealthy, organized elite maintain their power and privilege much like they did in the 1930's so this show isn't just for history buffs but for modern activists. A personal sidenote: there is a chest of drawers in this production as a prop. At one point a prop baby is discreetly place in it for storage. My child reality was my neighbors were often too poor for cribs so an open drawer was where a real baby slept.
Company: Albino Squirrel Productions
Show: It's-a-Me, a Musical!
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Cute and Standard Fringe
This is a cute show that fits the standard Fringe musical/ comedy mode. If you like this formula for your source of entertainment go. It made a good filler for me but I don't deem it as a must see show. Some occasional one liners for Fringe insiders generated additional laughs.
Company: The Other Productions
Show: Bangs!
Venue: Rarig Kilburn Theatre
I Was Amused
There were some traditional drag scenes that came off well and very professional. It was good at conveying behind the scenes aspects of this art form. I did sense what appeared like some opening night jitters - fumbled lines and hesitation in delivery were how such jitters manifested themselves. As for the shooting and any sense of danger being conveyed, well that could have been conveyed better. Still I like this show and if you like the art form of drag you should add it to your schedule.
Company: True Men Productions
Show: Castrati: A Tale of Two
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Delightful Music and Charm
This show was a significantly large cast for a Fringe show. Some of their numbers are deployed as a solid orchestra. Some get musical numbers while their are several chorus like segments. I liked the show and felt it was well worth my time. The only significant complaint I have it was clear to me what motivated the "removal". The family members didn't seem happy by the act and the character in the performance does not seem to have initially exploited it. Some of the cast had more stage experience and presence than others as several time I saw performers engrossed in the action have if they were witnessing it for the first time - this did not strike me as part of the script. I would recommend going.
Company: Big Blue Theatre
Show: A Dark Gotham Knight's Dream
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Shakespeare in Gotham
I wanted some comedy tonight and the preview was good. The first two things you should know is lines are delivered as if Shakespearean English is would is the norm for today's theater and this a parody. This show offers a unique audience participation tool - paper balls that you can use when you like during the performance to toss at the players - at other audience members! The costumes were clever and fun. The physical comedy made up for what the dialogue was short on - intense laugh lines. Lots of good physical comedy. If you like the comic book genre and physical comedy consider this show. The children in the audience had a great time. I found myself being villainous, plotting my paper ball shots with malice of fore thought ( I missed everytime).A fun time.
Company: Applause Community Theatre
Show: The Precious Scars
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
A Unique Perspective
The preview and being both a history and political buff was one set of hooks. The other hook was as an out gay man since 1984, I wanted to see how this production would present events. I was not disappointed . I was both educated and entrained. From the program it is clear that you will have two strong pillars in this story to monitor but don't overlook Cookie. This third character has something to say and may be the true thought provoker. The Harvey Milk we see here is already on a mission and as a leader he knows "best". So outing Sipple is for the good of the community and Milk believes ultimately for Billy. The interchanges between the three characters makes for some self examining moments if you are open to doing so. While not for all I think it should be near the top of your list